


A christmas to remember

by CododylWorld



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Artist Theo Raeken, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Morning, Christmas Presents, First Christmas, M/M, Marriage, Married Couple, Married Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-02 03:01:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17879843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CododylWorld/pseuds/CododylWorld
Summary: Theo and Liam have been together for twenty years, and have been married for sixteen of those. And although they've shared many Christmases together, this christmas will be one to remember.





	A christmas to remember

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Manon and Kane for going over this, thanks guys!

Liam and Theo were sitting by the Christmas tree, the recently wrapped Christmas gifts decorated the foot of the tree. Theo was smiling and nitpicking at the presents, trying to get them to look as big as possible because, in his mind, bigger was better.

“Theo, the bigger they look, the more heartbreaking it will be when we see their faces tomorrow morning,” Liam said, moving the wrapped up gifts to their original place. 

“All the more reason for me to make them appear bigger Li, It’ll tear them apart,” Theo said with a grin on his face. Theo was one that liked to torture people, in a nice and none painful way of course.

“Theo,” Liam breath out, pinching his nose and shaking his head, “you're being childish you know? Bigger doesn't always mean better, plus they’ve already said that they want to spend the Christmas with us and that's it.” Liam said while standing up from the floor and walking over to the kitchen. 

It was true, they had said that they didn't care about gifts or anything of the matter but Liam and Theo wanted to treat them to the best Christmas ever, and Theo… well, Theo wanted to also have his fun.

“Let it go, Theo,” Liam said from the kitchen like he already knew what Theo was going to do. Theo sighed and shook his head, muttering a ‘fine’, he got up from where he was and walked up to his armchair; where he had hidden Liam's Christmas gift. He grabbed the soft-wrapped item, holding it tight to his chest. It meant a lot to him, and he hoped Liam would be satisfied with it.

He looked at the time, one minute before midnight. He placed his hand with the gift on his back and followed Liam's scent over to the kitchen.

“Want some hot cocoa?” Liam asked and Theo couldn't help but scoff at that. “Well, no hot cocoa for Mr. Grumpy pants I guess,” Liam said turning around to make some coffee for Theo. 

“I thought I was Mr. Dunbar, what happened to that?” Theo asked while sitting on the bar stool, a smirk on his lips as he saw Liam's back muscles shift as he started laughing quietly. 

“Well, until you're able to drink some hot cocoa with me, you'll be Mr. Grumpy pants,” Liam said turning around and handing Theo his coffee. “What are you hiding back there?” Liam asked as he sat on the opposite bar stool, drinking his hot cocoa. 

Theo scoffed, placing the package on the kitchen island between them, “Can’t catch you in a surprise, can't I? Merry Christmas baby,” Theo said while drinking some of his coffee. Liam rolled his eyes, a smile plastered across his face.

“I thought we agreed on no gifts this year, didn't we?” Liam said, and he was right. After last year’s little incident. They had both agreed to not buy anything this year. Plus, they had to cater to a much larger audience this time around. But Theo couldn't resist, he wanted to give Liam something, something that would make him happy, and thus make himself happy.

And after months and months of thinking it through, Theo came up with the best Christmas present he could give to Liam. He didn't care if Liam didn't give him a gift, he just wanted to watch that smile. That very same smile that made Theo feel like he was on top of the world.

“Sorry, I couldn't help myself,” he said trying his best to hide his grin. “Go on, open it.” He pointed at the gift and Liam grabbed it, with the flick of a claw he sliced the packaged open; careful to not damage the delicate item that was inside.

“You know, you could have said something,” Liam said while trying his best to get the gift out of its wrapping, “Could have given you something in return.” Theo chuckled at that, he leaned forward and grabbed Liam's cheek with his right hand. He looked deep into his golden eyes. 

“Golden eyes,” Theo said, which earned him a growl from Liam, who hated the nickname, “your happiness, is the best gift that I can get from you, okay? I don't care about anything else.” He said, smiling “as long as you are happy, I am happy. That's all I ever want.” 

Theo was thrown back a bit, soft lips crashing into his as Liam pressed his body against him. He melted into the kiss, grabbing onto the counter between them as best as he could from the uncomfortable angle. Their lips fought for dominance, not once letting the other take control. It was passionate, it was like their first kiss all those years ago. 

Theo hesitantly pulled back, earning a groan from Liam, Theo chuckles and nudges his nose against Liam, “I love you,” Liam says, making Theo feel like he's eighteen years younger, riding a Ferris wheel on top of the world; hearing those words for the very first time. 

“I love you too, golden eyes” Theo answers, smile as bright as the sun, “come on Li, open it,” he says gesturing towards the forgotten gift. “I know you won't regret it.” He says grinning. 

“Theo… nothing you get me” he stops when he sees the greenish worn out blanket. Liam looks up at him, his eyes wide in shock, almost on the verge of tears, “what the… are you sure? Theo, you love this blanket!” Liam cried out, holding the blanket close to his chest. 

The very same blanket that Theo has slept with since the very beginning. The very same blanket that has seen Theo at his very worst. The blanket that was with him before the dread doctors took him, the same blanket that helped him sleep at night when his sister tried to take his heart away. And now, it would be the blanket Liam will use to sleep at night

He's had this blanket for ages now, he's had his well share of time to come to terms parting with it. Now it's Liam's turn to enjoy it.

“Of course I'm sure,” he says smiling. Of course, he's sure, he's had over a year to think of the perfect gift for Liam. “It's yours, baby,” he says smiling, he leans in and kisses him softly on the lips. 

“Come on, let's head over to the living room,” he says leaning back, grabbing his coffee. He looks over his shoulder and sees Liam wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and Theo can’t help but smile at that.

He's made Liam happy, that's all he wants. That's all that matters. He doesn't care about anything else… well, there is an exception but Liam would always be on top. Liam would always be the ruler of his heart.

Theo walked over to the spacious living room, grabbing a blanket from the mini closet on the wall closest to the hallway. He walks back, flopping down on his armchair, crossing his feet and snuggling up to the clean blanket. He takes a sip of the warm coffee while he waits for Liam to get comfortable on the opposite couch. 

“Thank you, Theo,” Liam yawns out once he's laying down on the couch, his newly gifted blanket covering his legs, his bare chest exposed to the warmth of the fireplace. Liam looks at the Christmas tree and then back at Theo, “Do you think they'll like them?” Liam asks and Theo can't help but chuckle at that.

“I don't doubt it,” Theo says taking a sip from his coffee. Looking at Liam while he scratches his eyes. “Get some rest golden eyes, tomorrow's a big day,” Theo says, earning a growl from Liam.

“I'm not sleepy, besides I'm too happy to go to sleep now.” He says looking down at the blanket, a smile wide on his lips, “I don't think I'll even be able to sleep”. 

“If you say so,” Theo says smiling, “are you excited for tomorrow?” he asks Liam who in return smiles at him. Theo can't help but chuckle at that, “well, I guess that answers that question.” Theo says, smiling in return.

“It's their first Christmas here, of course, I'm excited,” Liam says yawning once again and scratching his eyes, he looks down at the blanket, “but I'm also scared that it might not live up to their expectations.”

“Li, baby, don't worry about that, okay? I know deep down that they'll have fun, and that they will love all the gifts we bought them and if they don't then they'll have to deal with it, so just go to sleep and calm your little heart down okay?” Liam groaned but complied. 

Theo chuckled at himself, as Liam closed his eyes, slowly drifting away to sleep. Theo waited a few minutes, waited for Liam's breathing to even out. He waited until Liam had finally fallen asleep, and when he did, Theo took his time to admire the beautiful man in front of him.

He was happy that Liam loved the blanket, well, Theo already expected it but seeing the happiness of it first hand was something else. It was… amazing to say the least, to know that Liam would always show him how much love they had for one another.

He looked over at Liam and admired the way he laid there, with his right arm covering his forehead and his other one draped around his bare stomach. Theo's favorite blanket covering his legs while the light of the warm fire cast shadows across Liam's sculpted body. This was it, the masterpiece that Theo had been waiting for. Liam was perfect, in every way possible and Theo would try to prove it once more.

He wanted to catch the physical beauty of the man that he had fallen in love with so long ago. He wanted to catch not only the rough and strong but the soft and vulnerable as well. And there was no better time than this. 

When a person sleeps they give themselves entirely to something else, to someone else. They place their entire trust in their surroundings, in the people closest to them and this, this is when they are in their most vulnerable. 

People might think it's weird. That sleeping shouldn't be something to be over analyze, they think it's simple, none important. But for Theo, it is something much more than that. For him, it means everything. 

You see, during his time with the dread doctors, Theo was at their mercy at all given times. But he was at his most vulnerable when he slept. That's when the dread doctors would perform most of their experiments on him. He still can't recall all the times he woke up with bruises around his body, or bleeding out on the floor. 

He had to learn to stitch himself up, cause sometimes they didn't even care enough to do it themselves, no, it wasn't about caring, it was all about the experiment. That's the only thing that mattered to them. 

He had to learn when and where to sleep when he was around them. He wouldn't even dare to sleep around his foster parents, afraid of what might happen if they decided to be brave and run away.

Even after the dread doctors had been dealt with and he had returned from hell, he still wouldn't sleep, afraid of his own nightmares. It took him months to trust himself. And years to trust someone else. So for everyone else, it might be something simple and with no actual meaning, but to him it meant everything. To him, it meant being at his most vulnerable, and that he trusted someone else entirely.

And this is what Theo wants to catch, this is what Theo wants to draw because right now, Liam is giving himself completely to Theo's mercy, because Liam knew that Theo would protect him. That Theo would give everything for him. And Theo wanted to remember this, he wanted to remind himself what they had, was worth a thousand stars and so much more.

He got up from his chair, slowly placing the cup in the table in front of him. He walked towards their room, his bare feet making a light clicking sound against the marble floor as he tried his best to not make much noise. Once in the room, he searched for his sketchbook and drawing pen that he had hidden in his drawer. 

With the sketchbook and pen in hand, he walks outside and heads towards the living room.

Once he made it into the living room, he crossed his fingers that Liam was still in the same position he had left him in, he wants to catch the beauty of the scenery and he can't do that if Liam is moving all around (which he always does). 

Thankfully when he gets there, Liam hasn't moved at all, which is a miracle in itself since the other man can’t stay still for five seconds. He sits down in the armchair, and crosses his legs, placing the sketchbook on his lap. He opens it and flips through it until he finally finds a blank page. 

He starts with Liam's Fuzzy hair, the dark strands that fall into his forehead. He continues down, drawing his face, the rough features of it. He follows down to his neck, drawing the thick veins on the side, getting all the details he possibly can. 

He reaches Liam's hairy and firm chest, trying his best to make justice to it. He keeps going doing, drawing Liam's hand and the treasure trail, he finishes the sketch when he reaches the blanket, realizing that he doesn't have enough room for that. 

It isn’t until he's going over the details that he realizes that it's already morning, he’s been up the entire time, trying his best to make the drawing do justice to the masterpiece that is Liam Dunbar. By now he's sure that it's living up to the source material. He's actually impressed with it.

“Morning,” he hears Liam say, his voice strained from not being used, “what time is it?” He asks and Theo looks down at his watch, he forgot to put it away not that he needed to, 

“It’s ten past nine” he answers, “water or coffee?” He asks the wolf, but he’s surprised when Liam jumps up from where he had been laying, looking around like a maniac, “what's-” 

“Did I miss it?!” Liam interrupts him, and Theo can't help but roll his eyes at Liam's dumbassery, “where are they?! Did they like it?!” He continues to whisper-shout, “why didn't you wake me up!” He screams this time, throwing a pillow towards Theo, he ducks, and chuckles. 

“I didn't wake you cause I haven't woken them up dumbass,” he says laughing, “I was going to wait for you, just sit your ass down and I'll go wake them up now,” he says getting up from his chair and throwing the sketchbook and pen down on the table. 

“What's this?” Liam asks, picking the discarded items up, “Jesus” he simply says, “is this… me?” He asks surprised, Theo can’t blame him, he has to admit that he outdid himself this time around, “this is” Liam says and looks up at him “this is just amazing Theo, like fucking amazing actually.”

“Thank you,” Theo says smiling, “I spend all night doing it” he yawns, “let's make breakfast first and then I'll wake them up, I'm a bit hungry.” He starts to walk towards the kitchen but he stops when he feels a hand snake around his waist and yank him back, he smiles, “Li, come on I'm hungry” he says chuckling. 

“Thank you, Theo, I don't know how, but your stubborn ass has made these past sixteen years the best in the world. And I can’t thank you enough for that.”

“Your love is enough, Liam” Theo simply answers and pats Liam hand “come on, I'm hungry. I want pancakes and bacon.” He walks forward, dragging Liam with him. 

They make it to the kitchen and they each focus on something, Theo makes the pancakes from scratch and Liam focuses on the bacon and scrambled eggs. Theo adds some strawberry jam to the pancake mix to give them a little bit of flavor. When they're both down they set the table and Liam turns to him, 

“I'm gonna go wash my teeth, go wake the kids up, ”Liam says and heads towards the bathroom. Theo nods and makes his way upstairs. He runs up the steps, excited to wake the kids up for their first Christmas together. 

Once upstairs he uses his senses to make sure that they're both inside and not in the playroom. It seems that they're both sleeping soundly inside, he opens the door and he can't help but roll his eyes at the picture in front of him: both kids, laying on the floor, sleeping soundly. He sometimes questions why Liam bought them beds since they spend more time on the floor anyways. 

He smiles at himself, his mind taking him down memory lane to the day that they had adopted the two little buggers. They were twins and had lost their birth parents to a fire. Liam being the emotional little shit that he is couldn't bear to separate them both and they had to adopt two of them… though deep down Theo knows that he wouldn't have separated them as well, he’ll never admit that to Liam. 

Liam knew that Theo cared… he just wasn't the best one when it came to showing it. Theo had been scared to be raising a child, with his past and all but Liam had trusted him and given him the time he needed to prepare himself (ten years of preparation to be precise). But Theo prepared for one, not two little buggers.

If they had told Theo thirty years ago that he would be raising two kids, then he would have laughed and spit on their face. Kids… that's a sour topic to him, was a sure topic, not anymore. Not after adopting these two little monsters eight months ago. 

He had been in shock the day of the adoption. But after that passed, Theo learned to love them and to protect them as his life depended on it, which it did. He would do anything for them. He loved them and they loved him and for that, he would be thankful for Liam forever. He wouldn't know what he would be doing without them. Even if they hadn't been in his life that long of a time.

He made his way into the room quietly. He walked towards Alex and kneeled down picking her small body up. He placed her in the bed, “hey, baby girl, come on it's time to wake up. He said while grabbing the Tamatoa plushie that was on the floor and placed it next to her. He knew that if she woke up without it then there would be hell to pay.

He turned to Drake and did the same, smiling when he felt his little fingers hold his tightly. He kissed his forehead and repeated the same words.

“Papa?” He heard a soft voice call him, he turned around and saw Alex looking up at him. “Ith everything okay?” she said through her lisp. Theo smiled down and nodded. 

“Of course baby girl.” He said smiling, “but you should wake-up, I think there's something downstairs for you.” he finishes and they both jump up from their bed. Alex lands on the floor, her face beaming, Drake wraps his little arms and his little legs around Theo and with all his might screams, 

“TAKE ME TO TREASURE AY!” Theo can't help but laugh at that awful pirate impression from Drake. But he does as he's told. He makes sure he’s holding him tightly and screams at the top of his lungs,

“Land ahoy!” Theo screams, and grabs Alex by the arm and carries them out the room and down the stairs. Once there he puts them both on the floor and they storm over to the Christmas tree, tearing the Christmas gifts apart one by one. Liam doesn't even have time to tell them to wash their teeth first. 

“Let them be, they’ll wash their teeth later,” Theo says walking up to Liam, who hands him a cup of warm coffee. “Thanks,” he says and gives him a warm smile, “they seem happy,” Theo adds loudly, trying to surpass Drake’s screaming of triumph. 

“What did Santa bring you, buddy?” Liam asks even if he already knows the answer. He looks back at Theo and smiles, taking a step forward towards the kids. 

“He brought me a toy car!!!!” Drake screams, making car noises and riding it along. He keeps running around, no worry on sight, just a happy child with a toy, doing what he does best: scream and play.

Liam looks at Alex and smiles at her, he kneels down beside her, and gently asks her, “what did Santa bring you?” he can't help but smile when she jumps up and shows him the huge lighting sword, 

“Ith a lightning thord!!!” She screams and starts to swing the sword around like crazy, running around the house with a huge smile on her face.

“You be careful now!” Liam screams after her. It isn't an actual sword but she should still be careful with it, she can hit something and break it. He'll have to teach her later how to use a sword so that she can actually use it. But right now Liam is okay with her playing around with it. 

Theo walks over to Liam and shops down behind him, grabbing his shoulder and bringing him back so that Liam's head ends up on his chest. He takes a sip from his coffee and looks over at the gifts, 

“They haven't open all of them” he points out and Liam laughs, “they got way too excited over the car and sword don't you think?”

“Oh definitely,” Liam says nodding, “but at least they enjoy it. I was worried about that actually.” he says taking a deep breath. Letting all of his worries out. 

“I told you that you shouldn't be worried, they would've liked anything that we got them.” Theo says calmly, “you have to remember Li, their last Christmas was over two years ago. They would have been happy if they had gotten an avocado.” Theo says chuckling a bit, but he does mean it. 

These kids… they haven't had the best childhood, and they would have enjoyed anything that Liam and he had planned for them. They just want someone is all, that's all a child wants. Someone to care for them. 

“I think this will be a Christmas to remember, don't you think, golden eyes?”

“Yes, yes it will be.”


End file.
